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Drink This: The Balvenie Single Barrel 15

What happened when the distillers at The Balvenie, which is located — in the burgh of Dufftown in Moray, Scotland, that’s in the Speyside region at the north end of the country— fused together oak, spirit and time for 15 years? The Balvenie Single Barrel 15! Exceptional whiskey was matured exclusively matured in a European oak sherry butt for at least 15 years. That’s the same casks that produce the Spanish fortified wine Oloroso Sherry “Malt Master David Stewart hand selects each barrel for its flavor of dried fruits, nuts and spice,” says The Balvenie website. “No more than 650 hand-numbered bottles are drawn from each sherry butt, making every bottling unique and unrepeatable.”

At 47.8 percent ABV, The Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel packs quite a punch, making for a nose filled with dried fruits and a gentle nuttiness. Don’t forget to take a deep whiff of that before you take your sip. The taste brings up notes of elegant oak and subtle spice with a long, sherried finish with barley. Take it back. Enjoy it. Remember it. The casks give it a richer flavor and a deeper color than a typical whiskey. Now all you need to do is find a bottle, but word on the street is that they’re disappearing quickly. For $100, it’s not bad at all if you need a nice drink for yourself after a long, hard day at the office, or a little something after dinner. After all, what’s better than a glass of neat whiskey to cap off your day?

The Manual is simple — we show men how to live a life that is more engaged. As our name implies, we offer a suite of expert guides on a wide range of topics, including fashion, food, drink, travel, and grooming. We don’t boss you around; we’re simply here to bring authenticity and understanding to all that enriches our lives as men on a daily basis.